THE 2400 Course Schedule - Spring 2025 - In Person Edition (projected)
UNIT ZERO | INTRODUCTION
1 | Thu Jan 23 | Orientation to Christian Spirituality
READ:
- THE 2400 Syllabus and Schedule
- Psalm 1 - Outline
- Bible Abbreviations optional
- Psalms Introduction optional
COMPLETE:
- Course Ready Worksheet (in class)
UNIT ONE | BIBLICAL AND EARLY CHURCH SPIRITUALITY
2 | Mon Jan 27 | Orientation to Christian Spirituality - Theo-Drama
READ:
- Genesis 1:1 - 4:16, 12:1-3
- Exodus 19:1-6
- 2 Samuel 7:1-17
- Matthew 26:1 - 28:20
WATCH:
- Introduction Lecture on Christian Spirituality - It’s all about Jesus - Part 1 optional
- Introduction Lecture on Christian Spirituality - It’s all about Jesus - Part 2
- Robert Barron - Catholicism, Episode 1 optional
COMPLETE:
3 | Thu Jan 30 | Early Christian Spirituality - Witness and the Word
READ:
- Philippians 3:2-16
- Sittser, Water, Introduction, Chapter 1, pgs. 9 - 49
- THE 2400 Lecture 02 Notes
WATCH:
COMPLETE:
4 | Mon Feb 3 | Early Christian Spirituality - Spiritual Sense of Scripture
READ:
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- Origen Song of Songs, pgs. 6 - 12
- Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Moses, pgs. 13 - 20
- Augustine of Hippo, Sermon on Psalm 41, pgs. 21 - 26
COMPLETE:
5 | Thu Feb 6 | Early Christian Spirituality - Belonging and Vision
READ:
- John 13:34-35; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 12
- Sittser, Water, Chapter 2, pgs. 50 - 72
WATCH:
- Robert Barron - Catholicism, Episode 3
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 3
6 | Mon Feb 10 | Early Christian Spirituality - Theophany
READ:
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- Origen, Prayer, pgs. 81 - 85
- Ephrem the Syrian, Armenian Hymn, pgs. 86 - 88
- Augustine, On the Trinity, pgs. 193 - 196
- Augustine, Contemplations in the Fathers, pgs. 309 - 315
- Augustine Vision and Rapture, pgs. 316 - 323
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 3 (continued)
7 | Thu Feb 13 | Early Christian Spirituality - Struggle and Asceticism
READ:
- Luke 4:1-13
- Sittser, Water, Chapter 3, pgs. 73 - 95
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- Athanasius, Life of St. Antony, pgs. 49 - 54
- Evagrius Ponticus, Praktikos, pgs. 55 - 59
- Philokalia, Discourse on Abba Philimon, pgs. 125 - 130
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 4
8 | Thu Feb 20 | Early Christian Spirituality - Rhythm
READ:
- Luke 6:12-19
- Sittser, Water, Chapter 4, pgs. 96 - 117
- Rule of St. Benedict, Selection
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 5
9 | Mon Feb 24 | Early Christian Spirituality - Early Monasticism
READ:
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- John Cassian, Conferences 9 and 10, pgs. 89 - 96
- Gregory the Great, Dialogues 2.35, pgs. 324 - 326
- Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermon on the Song of Songs 23, pgs. 27 - 34
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 5 (continued)
10 | Thu Feb 27 | Early Christian Spirituality - Holy Heroes
READ:
- Luke 9:28-36; 2 Corinthians 3
- Sittser, Water, Chapter 5, pgs. 118 - 138
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- Deification and Birthing, pgs. 395 - 411
WATCH:
- The Audacity of Christian Art: The Problem with Christ - Khan Academy
- Recognizing Saints in Christian Art - Khan Academy
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 6
- OCCASION OF JOY EXAM 1
UNIT TWO | MIDDLE AGES
11 | Mon Mar 10 | Middle Ages Spirituality - Sacraments
READ:
- Luke 22:14-30; John 1:1-18; John 6
- Sittser, Water, Chapter 6, pgs. 139 - 162
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- Symeon the New Theologian, pgs. 97 - 101
- Hadewijch of Antwerp, pgs. 102 - 104
WATCH:
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 7
12 | Thu Mar 13 | Middle Ages Spirituality - Mystics
READ:
- Psalm 62:1-8; Matthew 6:5-15; Romans 8:26-27
- Sittser, Water, Chapter 7, pgs. 163 - 186
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 8
13 | Mon Mar 17 | Middles Ages Spirituality - Medieval Mysticism
READ:
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- Mystical Itineraries, pgs. 149 - 187
- Julian of Norwich, pgs. 238 - 245
- Union with God, pgs. 427 - 437
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 8 (continued)
14 | Thu Mar 20 | Middle Ages Spirituality - Ordinariness
READ:
- Matthew 6:25-34; Romans 12:1-13; Colossians 3:12-17
- Sittser, Water, Chapter 8, pgs. 187 - 208
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 9
15 | Mon Mar 24 | Middle Ages Spirituality - Franciscan Spirituality and Women Mystics
READ:
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- James of Vitry, The Life of Mary of Oignies, pgs. 60 - 65
- Catherine of Genoa, Purgation and Purgatory, pgs. 66 - 71
- Francis of Assisi, Francis of Assisi and the Stigmata, pgs. 225 - 230,
- Two Songs of Praise, pgs. 290 - 292
- Hildegard of Bingen, pgs. 331 - 335
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 10
- OCCASION OF JOY EXAM 2
UNIT THREE | REFORMATION, MODERN, AND SPIRITUALITY TODAY
16 | Thu Mar 27 | Protestant Reformation Spirituality
READ:
- Romans 1:16-17; Ephesians 2:1-10; 1 Timothy 4:6-10
- Sittser, Water, Chapter 9, pgs. 209 - 230
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- Theologia Deutsch, pgs. 421 - 425
- Johann Arndt, True Christianity, pgs. 276 - 280
WATCH:
- Khan Academy: Introduction to the Protestant Reformation - Setting the Stage optional
- Khan Academy: Introduction to the Protestant Reformation - Martin Luther optional
- Khan Academy: Introduction to the Protestant Reformation - Varieties of Protestantism optional
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 11
17 | Mon Mar 31 | Catholic Reformation Spirituality
READ:
- John of the Cross, Mystical Drawings
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila, pgs. 72 - 77, 118 - 121, 213 - 220, 357 - 359, pgs. 384 - 393, 451 - 464
WATCH:
- Catholic Reformation - Khan Academy
- Robert Barron - Catholicism, Episode 9
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 12
18 | Thu Apr 3 | Catholic Reformation Spirituality - Ignitian Spirituality and French Mysticism
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- Ignatius of Loyola, Autobiography, pgs. 353 - 356
- Francis de Sales, The Treatise on the Love of God, pgs. 465 - 471,
- Marie of the Incarnation, The Relation of 1654, pg. 472 - 477
- Letters of Spiritual Direction, pgs. 140 - 143
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 13
19 | Mon Apr 7 | Vincentian Spirituality
READ:
- Vincent de Paul, Selections
WATCH:
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 14
20 | Thu Apr 10 | Evangelicalism and American Spirituality
READ:
- John 3:1-21
- Sittser, Water, Chapter 10, pgs. 231 - 255
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- George Fox, pgs. 360-364
WATCH:
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 15
21 | Mon Apr 14 | Christian Missionaries Today
READ:
- Matthew 28:16-20
- Sittser, Water, Chapter 11 and Conclusion, pgs. 256 - 295
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 16
22 | Wed Apr 23 | Spirituality in the Modern Age
READ:
- McGinn, Christian Spirituality
- The Way of the Pilgrim, pgs. 118 - 121
- Simone Weil, Encounters with Christ, pgs. 246 - 250
- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Hymn of the Universe, pgs. 303 - 308
- Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation, pgs. 545 - 551
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 17
- OCCASION OF JOY EXAM 3
23 | Thu Apr 24 | Christian Spirituality Themes - Dark Night
READ:
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- “Distress and Dereliction,” pgs. 365 - 393
- Gregory the Great, Moral Interpretation of Job, pgs. 367-373
- Angela of Foligno, The Memorial, pgs. 374-378
- John Tauler, Sermon 3, pgs. 379-383
- John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul, pgs. 384-388
- Thérèse of Lisieux, Story of a Soul, pgs. 389-393
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 18
24 | Mon Apr 28 | Eckhart and Unknowing
READ:
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- Meister Eckhart, pgs. 35 - 40, pgs. 412 - 420, 438 - 443, 495 - 500, 529 - 534
- Cloud of Unknowing, pgs. 262 - 268, 535 - 539
- John Ruusbroec, pgs. 444 - 450
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 19
25 | Thu May 1 | Contemplation and Action
READ:
- Luke 10:38-42
- McGinn, Christian Mysticism
- “Contemplation and Work,” pgs. 519 - 520
- Gregory the Great, Pastoral Care, pgs. 521-524
- Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, pgs. 525 - 528
- Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue, pgs. 540 - 544
COMPLETE:
- Encountering Spirituality Assignment Sheet 20
26 | Mon May 5 | Final Review
COMPLETE:
- Extra Credit - Sacred Documentary
FINAL EXAM WEEK
27 | Final Exam Week (May 8 - 14)
- Final Paper Due During Final Exam Week